Separable surgical stocking



April J. M. BOLLINGER 2,280,025

S EPARABLE SURGI CAL STOCKING Filed 'Aug. 8, 1940 ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 14, 1942 umrec STATE s PATENT OFFICE SEPARABLE SURGICAL STOCKING James M. Bollinger, New York, Y. Application August 8, 1940, Serial No. 351344 (arias-165) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a separable surgical stocking.

The invention has for an objectthe construction of a surgical stocking which is. characterized by a surgical stocking body for engaging about a leg and having an open side, and a fastenerfor' closing said side.

Heretofore surgical stockings have been made continuous all around. Stockings of this type are very difficult to pull on. They must be constructed of elastic material sufficiently elastic to expand so as to allow the foot and portions of the leg to pass through. The provision of an open side and a fastener for closing the same produces a surgical stocking which may be en-.

accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part' of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a surgical stocking constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a surgical stocking constructed in accordance with a modified form of this invention.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of a surgical stocking constructedin accordance with another form of this invention.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

The surgical stocking, in accordance with this invention, includes a surgical stocking body ID for engaging about a leg such as schematically indicated by the dot and dash lines H. The stocking body 10 has an open side I2. A slide fastener I3 is provided for closing the open The slide fastener I3 comprises a stringer of .ence will be had to the following description and hooks l3 mounted upon one side of the opening I2 and cooperative with a stringer of hooks l3 mounted on the other side of the opening I 2. A control slide I3 is coactable with the hooks for engaging them together, and separating them, in

the usual way. A back strip I4 is extended across the back of the slide fastener l3, and it is supported along one edge M by a line of stitches l5.

Fig. 1 shows the surgical stocking on the leg I I. It may easily .be removed by merely pulling the control slide l3 downwards to open the slide fastener. This opens the side l2. It should be noted that the necessity of pulling the stocking body off the leghas been eliminated.

Figs. 3 and 4 disclose a modified form of the invention which distinguishes from the prior form in the provision of means for varying the all around size of the stocking body H) to control the elastic stress of the stocking body on the leg.

Specifically, one edge portion lt ofthe opening i2 is bent inwards. The stringer ofhooks l3 is mounted on the back side of the inwardly bent portion It. At spaced positions along the inwardly bent portion l2 there are fastening elements l5 which are cooperative with complementary fastening elements [5 mounted upon the adjacent material of the stocking body.

The fastening elements l5 and l5 comprise snap fasteners. Auxiliary complementary fastening elements l5 are arranged on the stocking body l0 atpoints spacedinwards from the opening l2, 9. larger distance than the complementary fastening elements I5 When the elastic body l0 becomes too loose it is possible to engage the fastening elements IS with the auxiliary fastening elements l5. In this way the all around diameter of the stocking body will be reduced. In other respects this form of the invention is similar to the previous form.

In Figs. 5 and 6 another form of the invention is disclosed which distinguishes from the prior forms in another construction for varying the all around size of the stocking body. In this form of the invention the stringer of hooks l3 are connected by a lace l6 with a strip l'l secured along the stocking body It] spaced inwards a material-amount from the edge of the opening I2. The lace I6 has its ends Hi tied together. The knot 16* may be opened and the lace l6 drawn 'or let out so as to draw or let out the stringer of hooks I3 This controls the all around size of the stocking body. In other respects this form of the invention is similar to the previous forms.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming Within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A surgical stocking body having an open side closed by means of a slide fastener, means adjacent one side of said slide fastener controlling the operative diameter of said stocking body to fit legs of different sizes, said stocking body having one edge of its open side bent inwards, said means, comprising a plurality of fastener elements arranged in vertically spacedrows on the inside face of said stocking adjacent said inwardly bent edge, and a vertical row of complementary fastener elements mounted on the adjacent face of said inwardly bent edge and selectively engageable with a row of said fastener elements.

2. In a surgical stocking body having a closable open side, said stocking body having one of its edges along its open side bent inwards, snap fastener elements arranged in vertical rows along the inside face of said stocking body adjacent said inwardly bent edge, and a vertical row of complementary snap fastener elements mounted on the adjacent face of said inwardly bent edge and selectively engageable with a vertical row of said first mentioned snap fastener elements for controlling the operative diameter of said stocking body.

JAMES M. BOLLINGER. 

